Over the past twenty five years in New Zealand, the awareness of osteopathic treatment for babies has increased, however we are still often asked when to seek treatment for a baby. We also often see older children who could have benefited from treatment as a baby. We are keen that all babies and children who need help, receive it in a timely fashion.

This article is to inform parents when to seek osteopathic treatment for their baby and what to look for in an osteopath.

​A baby will often communicate there is a problem by being unsettled, irritable or wakeful.​Symptoms in a newborn baby to be aware of are:

colic

excessive wind

continuous crying

difficulty feeding or a preference to feed from one breast

sticky eyes

sleeping difficulties

stiffness of the neck muscles

favouring the head to one side

a misshapen head

tongue tie or jaw restriction

Registered Osteopath Melanie Young treating a young baby

What education do Osteopaths have?

Osteopaths train for forty hours per week for five years full-time at university and are required to competently pass well over one hundred exams and undergo clinical competency training and exams.

Osteopaths are government regulated and registered with the Osteopathic Council of New Zealand and must partake in ongoing professional education each year. We are also ACC treatment providers.

Osteopaths who treat babies and young children ought to have done extra post graduate study in addition to their undergraduate paediatric study.​

Why would a newborn baby have anything wrong with them that is needing help by an osteopath?A baby's passage through the birth canal is usually a difficult process however nature ensures that the bones of the skull are pliable enough to overlap to enable this to happen. Sometimes the bones do not return to their normal positions after delivery. This can happen if the labour is unusually long or fast, if there is a large baby passing through a small pelvis, if a baby has a large head or if intervention is necessary for example a forceps delivery or ventouse extraction. A baby may suffer a cranial base, neck, shoulder or back strain during the birth process. Pre-term babies may have strain from being out of the uterus too early and there is also likely to be alterations in nervous system function.

A Caesarian birth may involve trauma to the baby who is stuck in the mother's pelvis. Alternatively, problems can occur in utero if there is insufficient amniotic fluid.

Very often your midwife or lead maternity carer will refer you and your baby to see an osteopath for assessment and treatment, particularly if the birth has been difficult. We also work with Lactation consultants to help with feeding issues. This can include jaw and cranial base problems that may be affecting the baby's ability to latch, or to treat the tongue and surrounding structures in cases where a posterior tongue tie is affecting baby's function.

How soon should my baby see an Osteopath?If there is nothing particularly troublesome going on for your baby then we recommend two weeks after the birth is a good time to have made an appointment as that gives you time to feel settled at home and also figure out how to get out of the house and travel with a new baby.If the birth has been difficult or your baby is very upset and won't settle, then we recommend bringing them in to see a cranial osteopath as soon as possible.​What does the assessment and treatment look like?First a medical history of the mother and baby is taken relating to the pregnancy and birth and any concerns you may have. Then your baby is gently assessed from their feet up to their head. Findings and treatment process are explained and then treatment will take place with your consent.The treatment looks calming and is very gentle for your baby. If necessary we can treat your baby while they are being breast fed or sucking on a finger to help soothe them. Osteopaths use their hands to gently help the baby undo strains in the fascia (the connective tissues of the body), to help restore better alignment and function. We are also able to assist the autonomic nervous system of the body, calming the sympathetic and boosting the parasympathetic nervous system. This is very relaxing and helps the digestion to settle and ideally the whole body to be in self healing mode. Please note cranial osteopathy is not just to do with the head, any tissue in the body can be treated with this gentle approach. Our clients find it is surprisingly effective.

Afterwards your baby may be more hungry than usual and be a bit unsettled or sleep for longer periods as their body works with the treatment to undo strains and find better alignment and health.

Ideally all pregnant mums would be assessed and treated at around 35 weeks pregnant to help balance up the pelvis and ready the connective tissues of the body for birth.Research showshttp://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2092759) that this results in a better birth with fewer interventions. This also means post birth we can see you for a one hour 'Mother and baby' check up together.

Thank you to the parents who have given us permission to use a photo of their baby.For more information please see our website www.cityosteopaths.co.nzFor an appointment or if you have specific questions, one of our osteopaths can call you back on 04 4991439

To manage well in todays busy world, we most likely all need to do something to help us feel centred, happy and calm.

Here is City Osteopaths recommended five minute mindful breathing exercise:

1.) Find a comfortable and stable posture either sitting or lying on your back. Allow your back to be straight but not rigid. Let your arms and hands rest in a relaxed position. If you like you can put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.

Pause here and after each subsequent step.

2.) Close your eyes, if it feels comfortable. If not, soften your gaze.

3.) Bring your attention to the present moment by noticing how you’re feeling physically. Scan your body from head to toe and consciously let any tension slip away. Take a moment to notice your environment – any sounds you might hear in the background, what the temperature feels like in the room, the air on your skin.

4.) After that, bring your attention to your breathing from three vantage points:–First, notice the sensation of your breath going in/out of your nostrils or mouth.–Second, as you breath, pay attention to the rise/fall of your chest.–Third, notice the rise/fall of your belly as you breath.

5.) Pick the vantage point that seems to be the easiest for you to focus on. Follow the breath for its full duration, from the start to finish. Notice that the breath happens on its own, without any conscious effort. Some breaths may be slow, some fast, some shallow or deep. You don’t need to control the breath, you just need to notice it.

6.) If you find it helpful, you can say “1″ to yourself on each in- breath and “2″ on each out-breath.

7.) Each time your mind wanders away from the breath (and this will happen many times!), notice where it goes and then gently bring your attention back to the feeling of the breath going in and out.

When the mind wanders, you can make a mental note of it. For example, if you drift away from your breath to thinking about the future, you can say to yourself “calm, calm". If your mind is pulled to a sensation of discomfort in your body, you can say to yourself “ease, ease". Or, if you notice you’re focused on something worrisome from the past, you can say "let it go". and then gently bring your attention back to the present moment – noticing the breath.

8.) Your mind may wander hundreds of times or more during these 5 minutes – that’s ok and quite natural! Your “job” is to catch yourself when you’ve wandered and to gently bring your focus back to the breath every time, without judging yourself for how “well” or “poorly” you’re doing the exercise.

9.) Try to practice this exercise for 5 minutes (or longer if you’d like) every day, for at least one week. Notice how it feels to spend some time each day just being with your breath.

Practicing mindful breathing is like strengthening your muscle of living in the present; as you practice more, you’ll find it easier to remain in the here and now, rather than being caught up in the past or in some fantasy about the future.

Living in the “now” tends to feel more peaceful and clear, even when external circumstances are difficult. Mindfulness practice is not a prescription for tuning out the world; rather, it’s about tuning in with open and compassionate awareness. Relating to life from this vantage point not only feels better, but often results in more skillful living.

I am preparing an audio version of this mindful breathing meditation which will hopefully be ready shortly.